Dry-cleaning machine.



A. B. MILLER.

DRY CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLXCATION FILED APR.29, 1915.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

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A. B. MILLER.

DRY CLEANING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR.29,1915.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

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ANDREW B. MILLER, OF BALDWIN, WISCONS JOHNSON, ONE-FOURTH TO HORACE C. NELSON, AND ONE-FOURTH T an snare rm anion.

IN, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-FOURTH TO RASIVIUS EDWARD CHRISTENSEN, ALL OF BALDWIN, WISCONSIN.

DRY-CLEANING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb.1,1916.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW B. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baldwin. in the county of St. CroiX and State of 'isconsin, have invented a new and useful Dry-Cleaning Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for drycleaning clothes, and the object is to provide an economical and fast-working machine of such construction that by making slight adjustments of some of the parts the same one machine will clean the clothes by gasolene and then extract the gasolene from the clothes. and when so desired the machine may be used as an ordinary clothes 'ashlng machine.

In the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 is a top view of my improved machine with its cover removed. Fig. 2 is an edge view of one of the eccentrics with its yoke and rod employed in the machine. Fig. 3 is a left hand side view of what is shown in Fig. 2. Fig.4 is an approximately diametrical vertical section of the machine with its cover on it. Fig. 5 is a top view of the crosshead 37. 38 and 38 in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals,' 1 designates the main tub, it is riveted at 2 to a bottom 3, which rests on legs 4 and is provided with radial grooves?) and a depression 6 having a pet-cock or valve 7 through which to empty the gasolene out from the machine. The tub is also provided with a cover 8 having a handle 9.

Spaced within the tub 1 is a perforated cylinder 10, 11 indicating the perforations. Said cylinder has its bottom fixed on a central vertical shaft 12, whose lower end is j ournaled in a ball-bearing 13 in the bottom of the tub, and the upper end is journaled in the leg of a T-shaped member 14, in whose upper portion and in bearings 16, 17 fixed on the tub is journaled a horizontal operating shaft 15, which is provided with a handle 19 and a pulley 18 so it mav be turned by either hand power or a belt where motive power is available.

Slidably fitted on the shaft and a feather key 20 in same (see Fig. 1) is a bevel pinion 21, having a set-screw 22 by which it may be secured on the shaft either in mesh with a bevel gear ring 23 fixed about the top of the cylinder 10, or out of mesh wvith the same. In like manner a bevel gear 24 is slidable on the shaft 15 and a feather key 25 therein and provided with a set-screw 26 which may hold the gear either in mesh or out of mesh with a bevel pinion 27 fixed on the vertical shaft 12. Fixed on the shaft 15 are also two eccentrics 28, 28, each of which operate a yoke 29, which it to some extent guides by flanges 28 (see Fig. 3) engaging at opposite sides of the yoke. In each yoke is fixed the upper end of a rod 30 of a pounder piston 31, which piston operates in a bottomless cylinder 32 having its upper end closed by a head 33, which is provided with apertures 34 to prevent vacuum above the piston, it is also providedwith a hub 35 slidable on the pounder rod, or piston rod, 30. Upon said hub presses the lower end of a coil' spring 36, whose upper end engages a cross-head slidable. on the shaft 12 and composed of a middle section 37 and two detachable sec tions 38 and 38, which are secured to the dasher rods by pins 39 or other suitable means. They are also detachably secured to the section 37 by removable pins 40, having handles 40, through overlapping lugs of the sections; said sections being also steadied against each other by abutting faces 41 to prevent turning movement on the pins.

42 isa collar on the shaft 12 to limit the downward movement of the central member of the cross-head when the other members are removed from it.

412 is a collar on the horizontal shaft to prevent the adjacent journal bearing from getting forced endwise by the meshing gears The upper end of the cylinder 10 is stcadied by brackets 43 having rollers 44 in light contact with the outer side of the gear ring 23.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, each yoke .29 is made up of a. lower member fixed to the rod 30 and an upper member hinged to the lower member at 45 and having its other end secured by athumb-nut 46 and a bolt 4-7 placed in a gap 48 in the end of the upper member and having its lower end pivoted at 49 in a gap 50 in the lower member.

In the operation of the machine fordryclea-ning,\the tub is filled about half full of gasolene, the clothes placed in the cylinder 10, the pounders are placed upon them and I such cleaning the clothes are of course retheyokes adjusted, upon the eccentrics; the gear 24 is put out of mesh and the pinion 21 into mesh, the cover 8 is adjusted and the shaft 15 rotated. During such rotation the pinion 21 rotates the cylinder slowly while the pounders keep moving up and down so as to agitate and pound the clothes while the pistons in the pounders alternately drive the gasolene downward and suck it upward through the clothes. It will hence be understood that when the clothes stop the downward stroke of the. hollow pounder members the spring 36 will yield and let the pistons go farther down, and when the pistons move upward again the springs prevent upward movement of the hollow pounder member until the piston has operated to suck gasolene through the clothes.

It should also be understood that as only the cylinder 10 rotates and not the pounders with it, the clothes are to some extent rubbed' between the pounders and the bottom of the cylinder, and that all these various movements and actions combine in removing the dirt from the clothes. IV hen the clothes are thus cleaned, the cover 8 is removed, the nuts 4L6 loosened, the bolts 47 swung out of the upper gaps 48, the yokes opened, the pins 40'removed and, the members 38, 38 with the pounders and yokes removed from the tub or machine. Next the gasolene is removed by opening the valve 7. The pinion 21 is then moved out of mesh and'the gear24 moved into mesh with the pinion on the vertical. shaft so that a much greater speed of the cylinder is obtained, the shaft 15 is then rotated until the gasolene in the clothes is extracted by centrifugal force and .removed from the tub by gravitation when the valve 7 is opened after the extracting is completed. This is the operation for each lot of clothes to be dry-cleaned, and after moved from the cylinder.

' If the machine is to be used for common clothes washing, the operation is the same as that already described for dry-cleaning, with the only exception that instead of gasolene water and soap, and if so desired some kerosene may be used.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a cylindrical tul; having in its lower part an outlet valve and on its top a cover, a vertical shaft journalcd cen trally upon the bottom of the tub, a member having a vertical journal box for the upper end of said vertical shaft and also integral therewith a box for a horizontal shaft, two other journal boxes secured to the top of the tub at diametrically opposite points thereof, a horizontal operating shaft mounted in said two bearings and in the first men tioned horizontal bearing. and means at one end of said horizontal shaft for applying rotary power to it; a bevel gear and a bevel pinion slidably keyed on the horizontal shaft and provided with means for holding each of them in two different positions on the shaft, a pinion fixed on the vertical shaft ina position to be engaged by the bevel gear, a perforated cylinder open at the top and having a bottom fixed on the lower end of the vertical shaft and at its upper end an annular bevel gear in a position to be engaged b the bevel pinion onthe horizontal shaft; a cross-head slidable on the vertical shaft and having two oppositely directed radial members, two pounders arranged one below each radial member and connected thereto, means on the horizontal shaft for imparting vertical reciprocating movement to the crosshead, and,operative connection between said meanson the shaft and the cross-head.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a cylindrical tub having a cover and in its lower portion an outlet valve, a vert'cal shaft journaled centrally upon the bottom of the tub, a member having a bearing for the upper end of said vertical shaft and also integral therewith a horizontal bearing, a horizontal operating shaft journaled in the latter bearing and having also two other bearings secured to the top of the tub one near each end of the shaft, means on said horizontal shaft for imparting rotary movement to it, a bevel gear and a bevel pinion slidably keyed on the horizontal shaft and provided with means for holding each of them in two different positions on the shaft, a pinion fixed on the vertical shaft in a position to be engaged by the bevel gear on the horizontal shaft, a perforated cylinder open at its top and having its bottom fixed on the lower end of the vertical shaft, and its upper end provided with a circular rack in a position to be engaged by the bevel pinion on the horizontal shaft; :1 cross head slidable on the vertical shaft and having two oppositely directed horizontal radial arms, two dashers having rods fixed in said radial arms, means on the horizontal shaft adapted to impart vertical reciprocating movement of the cross-head and pounders, and operative connection between said means on the shaft and the cross-head; said operative connection and said radial arms of the crosshead being easily detachable from'the horizontal shaft and from the cross-head.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with an outer tub designed to stand still, of a. drive shaft journaled across .the top thereof and having slidably heldin Said vertical bearing and centrally upon the bottom of the tub; a small bevel gear fixed on the vertical shaft in position to be gearon the drive tub having its vertical shaft and its upper'edge provided with an annular bevel gear arranged to be engaged by the small bevel gear on the drive shaft when sodesired; pounders arranged within the inner tub and having pounder rods with vokes at the upper ends,.eccentrics fiXed'on,

the horizontal shaft and operating in the yokes to reciprocate the pounders; said yokes block being easily detachable from the eccentrics; a cross-head slidable on the vertical shaft and having horizontal arms detachably secured to the cross-head and fixed to the ')ounder rods; rollers mounted in the upper end of the outer tub for guiding the upper end of the inner tub, and means for rotating the drive shaft.

4. In a machine of the class'described, the combination with an outer tub designed to stand still. of a drive shaft journaled across the top thereof and. having slidably held thereon a small and a large bevel gear, a forming a horizontal bearing for said shaft near the large gear and forming also a vertical bearing, a vertical shaft journaled in said vertical bearing and centrally upon the bottom of the tub, a small bevel gear fixed on'the vertical shaft in' position t) be driven by the large bevel gear on the vend of the inner drive shaft: a perforated inner its bottom centrally secured on the vertical shaft and its upper edge provided with an annular bevel gear arranged to be engaged by the small bevel gear on the drive shaft when so desired; pounders arranged within the inner tub and having pounder yokes at the upper ends. eccentrics fixed on the horizontal shaft and operating in the yokes to reciprocate the uounders; said yokes being easily detachable from the eccentrics; a cross-head slidable on the vertical shaft and having horizontal arms detachably secured to it and fixed to the pounder rods; rollers mounted in the upper end of the outer tub, and means for rotating the drive-shaft; said pounders being each composed of a pounder rod, a at the lower end thereof and a downwardly open suction chamber fitting about the piston and having a perforated top with a central hub slidable on the rod, and a comtub having rods with tub for guiding the 'upperpiston fixed pressible coil spring encircling the rod bev tween the arm of the cross-head and said hub of the top of the suction chamber.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signa- N. L..SWANSON, ()soan A. SWENBY. 

